Lathe and the like speed control mechanism



Oct. 6, 1936.

J. E. LOVELY LATHE AND THE LIKE SPEED CONTRQL-MEGHANI'SM Fi led Aug. 7, 1934 1:5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 6, 1936. J. E. LOVELY LATHE ANb THE LIKE SPEED CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Aug. '1; 1934 13 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 6, 1936. J. E. LOVELY LATHE AND THE LIKE S PEED CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Aug. 7, 1954 13 Sheets-Sheet 3 QKQ g g Oct. 6, 1936. .J. E. LOVELY LATHE AND THE LIKE SPEED CONTROL MECHANISM 1s Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. '7, 1934 Oct. 6, 1936. J. E. LOVELY LATHE AND THE LIKE SPEED CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Aug 7, 1954 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 M N M EEE fi 5155 Iii LEEFEIEE 0a. 6, 1936. J. E. LOVELY LATHE AND THE LIKE SPEED CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Aug. '7, 1954 I 13 Sheets-Sheet 6 Oct. 6, 1936. J. E LOVELY LATHE AND THE LIKE SPEED CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Aug. '7, 13 Shepts-Sheet 7 V Oct. 6, 1936. J. E. LOVELY LATHE AND THE LIKE SPEED CONTROL MECHANISM 13 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Aug} 7, 1934 Oct. 6, 1936.v J. E. LOVELY I LATHE AND THE LIKE SPEED GONTROL M ECHANISM Filed Aug. 7, 1934 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 J. E. LOVELY 1s Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Aug. 7, 1934 LQ N fi j I I Q Qw Jfl g 1 x in g g Jfi 4 as. K a u q RN \Q 7 k A Q ww &\ U y J. E. LOVELY LATHE AND THE LIKE SPEED CONTROL MECHANISI Oct. 6, 1936.

' Filed Aug. 7, 1934 13 Sheets-Sheet 11 J. E. LOVELY LATHE AND TI lELIKE SPEED CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Aug. '1, 1934 1; Sheets-Sheet 12 v iv W Oct. 6, 1936. J. E. LOVELY LATHE AND THE LIKE SPEED CONTROL'MECHANISII 'Filed Aug. "I, 1934 13 Sheets-Sheet 13 Patented Oct. s, 1936 UNITED STATES} aosaaaz LATHE AND THE LIKE SPEED CONTROL MECHANISM;

John E. Lovely, Springfield, vt., assignor to Jones & Lamson Machine Company, Springfield, Vt., a corporation of Vermont 1 Application August 7, 1934, Serial No. 738,772

11 Claiml. CL 29-46) This invention has for an object to provide a highly flexible speed control for lathes and the like which avoids the necessity of the use of change gears and provides for quick and easy set- I ting of the various movable. parts for a wide range of selected relative speed and while the machine is running.

A further and important object of the invention is to provide speed changing apparatus so ar- 1 ranged that the speed ratios shall be by positive gear connections and yet which avoids any possibility of the parts failing to move smoothly from one to a different adjusted position, or becoming stalled or" lockedagainst movement at any time when such movement may be desired, and which insures full meshing of the gears which are in driving relation. 4

Further objects reside in refinements and improvements in the various mechanisms as will so later more fully appear.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a detail section on line i-l 'of Figure 19 showing one of the gear shifting mechanisms.

Figure 2 is a detail section on line 2-2 of Fi8-' ure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail section on line 3-4 of Figure 4.

Figures 4, 5, 8, and 7 are detail sectionson the correspondingly numbered section lines of Figures 1 and 3;

Figure 8 is a detail section on line 8-8 of Figure 4 Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevation showing the control handle and related parts of the mechanism of the previous figures.

Figure 10 is a detail section on line ill-l0 of Figure 9. Figure 11 is a view similar to FigurelO, but

showing the handle in unlocked position.

Figure 12 is a view partly broken away and showing gear selector parts in elevation. V Figures 13 to 18, inclusive, are diagrammatic views lllustrating successive shifting of the gears from lowest to highest speed.

Figure 19 is a front elevation of the lathe embodying the invention. Figure 20 is a fragmentary longitudinal section just inwardly of the front plate of the apron and taken on line 20-20 of-Figure' 21.

Figures 21 and 22 are sections on correspondingly numbered section lines. of Figure 20. 1 Figures 23 and 24 are sectional views on the members maybe caused to traverse along the correspondingly numbered section lines of Figure 19. 1

Figure 24a is a fragmentary section showing a two-direction knock-off release.

Figures 25 and 26 are diagrammatic views illus- 5 trating the reverse gear mechanism in the tool carriage apron.

Figures 27 to 32 are detail sections on the correspondingly numbered section lines of Figure 22.

Figures 33 to 38, inclusive, are diagrammatic 10 views illustrating successive positions of the shifter elements and gears from lowest to highest speeds. 1

Referring first to 'Figure 19, at l isindicated the bed of .a lathe having a headstock 2 at one 15 end thereof. At 3 is shown a turret saddle carrying a turretl of any suitable description thereon, this saddle being movable toward and from the headstock 2-on.the ways I in accordance with usual practice- At 6, positioned between the headstock and turret. saddle, is a tool carriage which carries thereona cross. feed slide at l carrying a suitable tool support herein indicated as a manually rotatable tool-carrying turret 8. For the purposes of this invention it shouldbe understood that any suitable tool carrier may be employed. I

' The saddle 3 is provided in the usual manner with an apron l0 depending from the ways 5 along the front of the machine and the tool carriage 8 30 is also provided with an apron ll similarly positioned. Running along the forward face of the lathe and extending through the aprons i0 and ii is a rotatable feed shaft I2. This feed shaft at the headstock end may pass intoa gear box 35 I3 and may. have fixed thereon within this gear box a feed gear l5 shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. This gear I 5 meshes througha gear train comprising the gears i6, ll, i8 and ill with the headstock spindle 20, which is shown in Figure 19 0 as havinga suitable chuck or other work support 2i on its forward end. Thus the feed shaft i2 is driven from the lathe spindle through the intermeshing gear train and is thus rotated in definite Etimed relation thereto. I 45 As .is usual with machines of this type, the aprons of theturret saddle and the tool carriage contain mechanism by which these respective ways 5. As shown for this purpose there is prco vided a rack bar 25 secured to the machine bed with which mesh suitable gears carried in these aprons and which may be driven, as will later appear. by rotation of the feed shaft i2. 55

Spindle drive mechanism The lathe spindle is shown as driven by a train clutched thereto by a suitable clutch mecha-j nism indicated in Figure 1 as in the clutch housing 34, or the shaft if maybe driven in the reverse direction by driving from the jack shaft '30 through the gear II thereon, shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, through the gear 38 on the reversing shaft and from this gear 26 directly back to the gear 3'! iournaled on the shaft II.

This gear 31 may be clutched to the shaft II when the gear 33 is unclutched, by a suitable clutch mechanism (not shown) indicated in the clutch housing 38. By this arrangement the shaft Ii may be driven in either direction at will by manipulation of the clutches within the casings 34 and 38. The particular mechanism for actuating these clutches forms no part of the present invention.

The shaft 3| is arranged to drive the shaft,

either directly or through a back gear shaft 4|.

This drive is by either of the gears 42. or 43 thereon which are of different size and are carried by a sleeve 44 which is slidable on the shaft 3| These gears 42 and 43 may be moved selectively into mesh with the gears 45 and 4t, respec tively, secured to the shaft 40. The shaft 40 also has loose thereon, but secured together, a pair of gears 41 and 48, and a gear 49 of the same size as the gear 41 is fixed on the shaft 40. There is also a'shaft 50 which has slidably keyed thereto a sleeve 5| on which are fixed the gears i2 and 53. By sliding these gears 52 and II,-upwardly 7 as shown in Figure l, the gear 52 may be brought into mesh with the gear 46 on the shaft 40. In the intermediate position of this sleeve Ii, as shown in Figure 1, the gear 53 is in mesh with gear 48 fixed on theshaft 40, and in the lower position of the sleeve 5| the gear 53 is in mesh with the gear 41 Journaled on the shaft 40. A gear55 fixed to the back gear shaft 4| is in mesh with the gear'49 so as to be. driven by the shaft 40 and a gear 56 fixed to this back gear shaft 4i is in mesh with the gear 48. The gears 49 and 56 and 48 are of such relative sizes that the gear 41, while of the same size as the gear 40, is driven at a somewhat lower speed. Thus the shaft 50 may be driven at two different speed ratios relative to the shaft 40 when the gear I3 is in mesh with the gear 49 or with the gear 41. It can also be driven at a still different speed I when the gear 52 is in mesh with the gear 46.

in mesh and when the spindle is not being driven.

In order to obtain the different speed ratios possible with this mechanism, it will be-seen that there are two driving positions of the sleeve 44,

three driving positions for the sleeve ii and two driving positions and a neutral intermediate position for the sleeve". Means are therefore provided for selectively moving and holding these sleeves in the positions desired to eflect the desired driving speed of the work spindle, and one of the important features of this invention relates to the control and -movements of these sleeves so that at no time is there a disconnection of the drive at more than one place in the entire train. This makes possible the shifting of the gears to any desired position from any other position without danger of any of the gears becoming stalled by striking on other gears'more than momentarily, sinceiwherever a gear disconnection takes place, all the gears previously in the train are in motion during the rotation of the drive shaft so that the gear faces are slipping by each other and when they are in proper relation the gear being shifted may pass into mesh with its driving gear without difilculty. were this sequential operation not provided, a gear might be presented to a gear with which it was desired to mesh while both gears were stationary, and in such a manner that the gears could not come into meshing relation, but by'tproviding for only one disconnection at a time one of the gears is always in rotation when they are presented together.

- The particular means herein shown for producing the sliding of the various gears and sleeves is of the type shown in the Twamley patent application Serial No. 671,033, though in so far as the broader aspects of this part of the invention is concerned any desired type of mechanism could be employed so long as the sequential shifting of the gears as hereinbefore specified is carried out. There are, however, certain refinements of the Twamley type mechanism herein shown which are of importance in producing smooth and controlled action of the various sliding gears. As shown the sliding sleeve 44 is actuated by a lever 'll' journaled at H as on a pin secured to the upper face of a gear casing or housing 12. One

' end of the lever 10 is shown as carrying pivoted gagement with the gear 42 and with definite accurate stop limits of motion of this lever. As shown both of these functions are accomplished by a spring pressed ball 15 seated within a hollow plug, 16 threaded into the gear housing I2, the' ball pressing the lever Ill downwardly at its end carrying the yoke 13 and the sides of the plug It cooperating with stop lugs 11 and I! on the lever Ill. The sleeve 5| is similarly moved and controlled by a lever iournaled at 8|, this lever 80 having a yoke member 82 engaging about opposite sides of a circular flange 83 on the sleeve II. This lever 80 is similarly controlled and limited in its motions by a spring pressed ball seated in a plug sleeve 85 with\ which cooperate stops '6 andl'l'on the lever 00. The sleeve 60 is also similarly moved and controlled by a lever Oil having cooperating therewith a spring pressed ballstops 92 and 93. This lever is fulcrumed at 84.

The selection-of the various positions of the sliding gears and their movements to'these'selected positions are shown as produced, as in the Twamley mechanism, by a plurality of selectors I00, "II, and 102 which are secured together and a in a hilow plug 9| with which also cooperate the a may be made integral with each other and carried a fixedly bya rock shaft Hi3.v Each seiectorlspro- 7s vided with segments such as I04, I05, and I06. The segments I04, as shown in Figure .5, are of two different radii, the high segments being shown at I04a and the low segments at I04?) and in each instance, except one, a high segment is opposite to a low segment. Cooperating with these, segments is the rocker member journaled as on the Journal pins HI (see Figure 8) and connected to turn with the rocker element H0 is an arm II2 slotted at its outer extremity as at II3 to engage a pin II4 carried by one end of the lever I0. The rocker I I0 carries at diametrically opposite points a pair of inwardly extending fingers H5. The inner ends of these fingers are so spaced that when a high segment I04a. bears against one of these fingers II5, the other finger bears against the oppositely disposed low segment I04b, the two, therefore, when the shaft I03 is in its inner axial position, bridging the fingers H5 and securely holding the rocker I I0 in either one or the other of its rocked positions, in .one of which one of the fingers II5, bears against the end of a high segment I04a, and in the other of which the same finger II5 bears against a low segment I04b. Similarly the selector IOI controls the rocked position of a rocker I20 which carries an arm I2I engaging a pin I22 on the lever 80 and likewise the selector I02 may control the angular position of a rocker I30 carrying an arm I3I operatively engaging the end of the lever 90. The segments I05 of the selector IOI are of three different radial extents, there being the high segments I05a, the low segments I05b, and segments of intermediate heights I050. The segments I05a are oppositely geared connection with the driving mechanism.

There is also preferably provided mechanism for holding the shaft I03 in any of its various ures 4 and 8 wherein the shaft I03 is shown as 1 carrying a disk I35 having notches at I36 about its periphery, in any of which may engage a spring pressed ball I3'I. This disk I35, as shown best in Figures 4 and 8, is held against axial motion with the shaft I03, being formed with a central perforation I40 through which passes a hub I of a member I42 bearing on the outside end of the casing portion I45 which is shown as secured to the casing 12. The members I35 and I42 are secured together as by screws I46.

- In order that the selectors may be turned freely to any selected position they are arranged to be moved axially out of cooperative relation to their rockers IIO, I20 and I30, for this purpose the shaft I03 being mounted for axial motion at one end in the bushing I41 and at the other in the member I42 to which it is slidably keyed. This member I42 is shown as provided with an ear I50 on which is fulcrumed at I5I a lever I52 (see Figures 2, 9, 10, and 11) This lever I52 is shown as provided with a ball handle I53. It also is provided with a cross pin I54 which may engage in a notch I55 in the outer end of the shaft I03. Thus by rocking the handle I53 about the fulcrum I5I the shaft I03 can be pulled outwardly, bringing the selectors out of operative relation to their rockers. The handle may then be turned about the axis of the shaft I03 to the desired angular position corresponding to the particular speed setting desired, whereupon the handle may be thrust inwardly, moving the selectors into operative position, each selector having inclined faces (see Figures 3 and 5)., which engage the rocker fingers, and as the shaft I03 is pushed inwardly, cause these rocker fingers to assume the rocked positions corresponding to the arrangements of the selector segments at that particular angular position of the selectors. A spring pressed pawl I63 (see Figures 10 and 11) may be employed to engage a notch II! to yieldingly hold the handle I53 in its operative gear-selected position shown in Figure 10.

The end wall of the casing I45 may have thereon a scale as at I65 having indicated thereon in, successive segmental portions numbers representing the spindle revolutions per minute for normal drive speed of the driving shaft 30, and the member I42, which is keyed to the shaft I03, may have a suitable pointer as I66 cooperating with the dial indications.

It will be noted from an inspection of Figures 3 and 4 that the outer faces of the selector segments for the selectors I 00, IN, and I02 are of diiferent lengths and they are so arranged that the rockers are moved at different times during the inward axial motion of the shaft I03 with the selectors thereon. These parts are so arranged that the sliding gears are thrown in sequential relation so that there are never two points of disconnection in the entire train of gearing at one time.

The sequence of actions of the various gears,

when they are-being moved from their lowest to their highest speed ratios are shown in Figures 13 to 18, inclusive. Figure 13 shows the low speed position where the gear 43 of shaft 3I is in mesh with gear 46 and where gear 53 is in mesh with gear 41 on the shaft 40 so that the drive is through the back gear shaft H. The gear 62 is also in mesh with the spindle gear 64. Dividing the path of motion of the handle from ou to in position in six equal angular parts, the successive positions of these gears are shown in Figures 13 to 18. In Figure 14 in the second position of the handle, the gear 43 is moving out of mesh with the gear 46, the other gears remaining as in Figure 13. In Figure 15 the gear 42 has been brought into mesh with the gear 45 and the gear 53'has been moved out of mesh with the gear 41 and'into mesh with the gear 49, and the gear 62 is moving out of mesh with the gear 64. In Figure 16 the gear 42 is shown in full mesh with the gear 45, the gear 53 is moving out of mesh with the gear 49, the gear 62 is out of mesh with the gear 64, and the gear 6I is approaching mesh with the gear 63. In Figure 17 the gear 42 is in the same position shown in Figure 16, the gear 52 has come partly into mesh with the gear 46 and the gear 6| has come into mesh with the gear 63. In Figure 18 the gears 42 and 45 are in full mesh, as are also the gears 46 and 52, and the gears BI and 63, this being the highest speed position of the gears. during this shift is the gearing entirely interrupted at more than one place in the drive so that all the gears previous to the interruption At no time 10 on its controlling segments as at I60, I6I and I62 a are in rotating relation with the drive shaft. By this arrangement if the sliding gear at the broken connection initially contacts with the end of a tooth of the gear with which it is desired to mesh it, the rotation of the driving one of these gears causes the parts to adjust themselves so that meshing may be effected. This arrangement also obviates the necessity of any yielding connection betweenthe shift mechanism and the gears being shifted, so that when the handle has been moved to its full in position, the gears which are in mesh are in full mesh, having been moved over positively by the selector mechanism. Likewise as the rocker members bridge across the segments of their respective selectors,'and the selectors have a motion of disengagement substantially at right angles to the rocking motion of the rocker fingers, these rocker fingers are securely locked in selected positions and there is no force exerted through the drive of the gears which tends to throw the selectors out of controlling positions. With the arrangement shown it is evident that not only is the speed of rotation of the head-stock spindle controlled by the setting of the selector mechanism but also the speed of the feed shaft I2 is also similarly controlled.

Tool slide feed As previously mentioned, the tool slide apron ll contains mechanism driven by rotation of the feed shaft 12 to effect its feed along the ways 5 and the rate of thisfeed, in accordance with this invention, is controlled by a selective speed mechanism which is operative during the rotation of the feed shaft. Referring to Figure 20, the rack bar 25 has engaged therewith a pinion 299 fixed to a shaft 29l in the apron I]. This shaft 29l also carries a gear 292 within the apron which meshes with a pinion 293 mounted on a shaft 294. A hand wheel 295 (see Figure 19) is also mounted on the shaft 293. in front of the forward face of'the apron II for manual actuation of the carriage feed mechanism. Gear 292 also meshes with a pinion 296, which, as shown'best in Figure 24, is carried by a sleeve 291. This sleeve 291 also carries a clutch element 296 which normally meshes with a mating element 299. To the clutch element 299 issecured, as by,rivets 219, a worm has reached a desired traverse limit. As shown in Figures 20 and 21 the gear 2|2 meshes with a a pinion 214 journaled on a shaft 215. Fixed to or integral with the gear 214 is a clutch element 2|6 similar to the clutch element 299 and this clu'tch element 2l6 cooperates with asec ond clutch element 2l1 on a sleeve carrying 'a gear 218. This gear 2"! meshes with a pinion 2I9 (see' Figure 20) on the end of a feed screw by which the tool slide is given its motion transverse to the spindle axis in a well understood manner. The clutch elements 216 and 211 may also be automatically disconnected at the desired limits'or travel of the cross tool slide. v

The worm gear 2 is shown as driven, by a worm 229 fixed to a shaft 221 and this shaft is arranged to be rotated through a change gear mechanism from the rotation of the feed shaft 12. This change gear mechanismromprises three gears 222, 223 and 224 of different the same size as the pinion 25L sizessecuredtotheshaftfll withwhichmay. be brought selectively into mesh gears 225, 226

and 221, respectively, carried by a sleeve 223 slidable on a splined shaft 229 ('see Figures 20,

and 21 and the diagrams, Figures 33 to 38).

shaft 229 to bring the gears 225, '226,'and 2'21 thereon selectively into mesh with their respective gears 222, 223, and 224 by means of a shift rod 236 which carries a shifter arm 231 having a portion 232 riding in aperipheral groove 223 in the sleeve 223. The shaft 229 also has slidable thereon a second sleeve 235 carrying the larger gear 236 and thesmaller gear 231. This sleeve 235 may be moved axially by the shift rod I99 which has a shifter member 236 secured thereto having. a finger 239 riding in an annular groove 249 in the sleeve 235. The gear 236 may be moved selectively into mesh witheither of a pair of'equal size gears 241 and 242. The gear 2 is secured to the shaft 243. The gear 242 is loose on the shaft 243 and has fixed therea gear 249 of larger diameter than the gears 241 and 242. The feed shaft 12 drives :the shaft 243 either directly or through a reverse gear mechanism. For this purpose the feed shaft I2 has keyed thereon a long gear 259 (see Figures 25 and 26). This long gear meshes continuously with a pinion 251 which is secured to a reverse shaft 252 (see Figures 21, 25, and 26). The reverse shaft-252 also carries a pinion 253 of The shaft 243 has slidably keyed thereon a gear 254 which may mesh with eitherj the gear 253 on the reverse shaft 252 or directly with the long gear 259 on the feed shaft 12. When it meshes directly with. the long gear 259 the reverse shaft 252 is rotated idly by thelong gear'259, the transmission being directly from the long gear 259 to the shaft 243 through the gear 254. When the gear 254 isfmoved to its other position meshing with the gear 253, the shaft 243 is driven from the long -gear 259 through the gears 25! and 253 of the reverse shaft and is thus driven in the reverse direction to that where the gear 254 is driven directly from the long gear 259. The

gear 254 may be shifted by any suitable means (notshown), an operating handle therefor being shown at 255 on Figure 19. be seen that the traversing tool carriage may be caused to traverse in either of opposite directions-bythe rotation in one direction of the feed shaft l2.

Means are provided for shifting the sleeves 229 and 235 through the shifting of their control rods 239 and 199. The shift rod 239 has near its outer end a slot 269 in which rides a head 261 of a pin '262 journaled in the outer end of a lever 263 (see particularly Figures 22. and 32) This lever 263 is journaled on the pin 264 and-has a segmental toothed end 265 which meshes with a corresponding segmental tooth portion 266 on a rocker 261. This rocker is shown as pivoted at 269,-and is provided with an arcuate portion 269 (see Figure 39) having inwardly directed opposed fingers 219;

It will" thus 60 This ball serves to yieldingly hold the shaft aosavea movable selector shaft 213. In a similar manner the shifter rod I99 is connected through a pin and slot connection at 280 to an arm 28l secured to a rocker member 282 (see Figures 29 and 31). This member 282 is'shown as annular in shape and is pivotaliy mounted at diametrically opposite points on the pivot members 283 and 284. It likewise has oppositely disposed fingers 285 which may engage with segmental selector cam elements 266. These cam elements comprise a high portion 286a, a low portion 286!) and a pair of portions 286c of intermediate height. They are shown as integral with the cam selector portions 21! both being shown as formed on a sleeve 280 secured to the shaft 213 as by a pin -29l. These selector segments have inclined faces such -as 292'and 293 which when the rock shaft is moved inwardly or to the right, as shown in Figure 22, engage their respective rocker fingers and determine the angular positions of these rockers and thus the shifted positions of the gear sleeves 228 and 235. On moving the rock shaft 213 outwardly or to the left, as shown in Figure 22, these selectors are brought out of cooperative engagement with the rocker fingers. The shaft 213 .may

then be turned to any selected angular position corresponding to a desired speed ratio between the feed shaft l2 and the speed of traverse of the tool carriage or the speed of transverse feed of the tool slide, whereupon the shaft may be returned to its inward position, causing the sliding gear sleeves, to-take their properaxial positions to produce such speed ratios. Y

' been adjusted corresponding to a desired spee'd The shaft 213 extends outward from the casing 235 of the apron H within which the various 302 has a flange 303 on its outer face which is held against the outer face of the casing member 285 by a collar 304 through which the sleeve 302 passes and which bears against the inner face of an annular. casing portion 305. It is held in such. position as by a nut 306 threaded on the inner extremity of the sleeve 302, a member such as a lock washer 301 being inserted between the nut 306 and the collar 304. The collar 304 may be keyed to the sleeve 302 as shown in Figure 28 to turn therewith, and may be provided with serrations as at 309 with which maybe engaged the spring pressed detent ball 3| 0. This ball is car-"' ried by the plug 3 secured as by threaded engagement with "a portion 3l2 of the casing 285.

213 in any angular position to which it may have ratio of feed shaft to carriage traverse or to tool slide feed movement. The member 303 may be provided with a suitable dial as at 3l6 for cooperation with an index pin 3l6 secured to the casing 29!, the sleeve 302' rotating with the rock shaft 213.

These selectors and rocker fingers are so related that during any shift from one speed ratio to another, the driving connection is interrupted only at one point at anyone time, as previously described with reference to the spindle speed control mechanism. 3

is all the way in. I p

Figures 33 to 38, inclusive, show successive positions of the shift mechanism and the gears when changing fromlowest to highest speeds. Figure 33 shows the parts in their lowest speed, the gear 225 being in mesh with the gear 222 and the gear 5 236 being in mesh with the gear 244 so that the drive is through the back gear arrangement, comprising the gears 244, 245, 241, and 246. The control handle 298 having been' pulled outwardly and turned to the high speed position, the gear shifting'occurs step by step as is shown in Figures 34 to 38 as the handle is pushed inwardly. In Figure 34 the gear sleeve 228 is in the same position as shown in Figure 33. The gear sleeve 235 has been moved slightly so that the gear 236 is moving out of mesh with the gear 242 to cut out the back gear connection, and is moving toward the direct gear connection through the gear 2. In Figure 35 this change has just been effected,

the gear 236 having just come into mesh with the gear 24!. At the same time the sleeve 228 has been moved so that the gear 225 is just passing out of mesh with the gear 222 and the gear 226 is being brought into mesh with the gear 223. In Figure 36 the sleeve 235 has been moved to the point where the gear 236 is still in mesh with the gear 2 but is about to leave it and to bring the gear 231 into mesh with the gear 248, while the sleeve 228 has moved to bring the gear 226 into full mesh with the gear 223. In Figure 37 the gear 231 is shownpartly in mesh with the gear 249 while the gear 221 on the sleeve 228 is about to come into mesh with the gear 224, all the other gears on this sleeve 228 being out of geared connection. moved to bring the gear 231 into full mesh with the gear 249 and the gear 221 has been moved into full mesh with the gear 224 so that the parts are in their final high speed position and the handle Knock-017 mechanism for the tool carriage Means are providedby which when the tool carriage has reached a desired position in its traverse, its traversing mechanism is automatically disconnected from the feed shaft. While this mechanism may be of any suitable description and forms no part per se of the present invention, being shown and claimed in my application for patent, Serial 190.640.927 filed Novem- 5o her 3, 1932, ,for Feed knock-01f mechanism for lathes, a brief description will be here given. Referring particularly to Figure 24, it will be noted that the clutch element 209 has seated therein spring pressed pins such as 400, the ends.40l of which may ride in an annular channel 402 in the end face of the clutch element 208. Each spring 403 reacts. between the base of a socket 404 in which it is placed and a member 403 which bears against a cross pin 408 through the pin 400, so go i that the springs tend to push the clutch element 208 away from the clutch 209 to disconnect them. In order to hold the clutches into contact there is provided a lever 401, this lever being loosely mounted on a sleeve 488 keyed or otherwise sec'ured to the shaft 2l'3.' The sleeve 408 is grooved at its outer end to receive loosely a cam ring 408 the. sleeve 408. At their inner ends these-pins 413 bear against a rlng4l4 which in turnbears 78 In Figure 38 the sleeve 235 has been against the outer raceway 418 of a thrust ball bearing 8. When the handle 401 is in the position shown in Figure 24 the balls4i2 are out I there latched, but is normally biased as by gravseated in a sleeve 421 secured through the outerbeen previously described.

be desired,

ity or otherwise out of this position. The latch mechanism, as shown, comprises a latch pin 420 spring pressed as by the spring 42l into an opening 422 in the outer-end of a latch plug 428, which is secured as by threading into thecasing 424 of the apron II. The outer end of the latch pin 420 is provided with a cross pin 428 which'secures it to a head 428. The latch pin itself is end of the lever 401 and is provided with a notch 428 in which the pm 428 may seat. Pivoted on the sleeve 421 is a release handle lever 480. In the outer faceof the lever 430 are positioned a pair of balls 43i, which in the position of the parts shown in Figure 124, bear in recesses 482 in the inner face of the head 428. By rocking the handle 430 to bring these bails out of these recesses the head 428 is pushed outwardly, retracting the latch pin 420 from the socket 422 and permitting the lever 401 to drop so that the notches 4| I are brought into registry with the balls 4i 2, whereupon the clutch element 208 is retracted by the pressure of the spring pins 408. Any suitable means may be provided' for yieldinglyvholdin'g the lever 480 in non-releasing angular position. This handle 480,-therefore, provides for a manual release of the driving connection of the feed carriage with the feed shaft. An automatic release is also illustrated, thiscomprising. a latch release pin 480 normally retracted by a spring 48l, both the pin and'spring being mounted within the plug 428 The pin 480 has a head 483 at its inner ,end on which may bear the rounded end portion 484 of a lever 488 fulcrumed at 488.. This lever is also provided with a rounded projection 481 on which bears awear pin 4880 at the inner end of 'a knock-oi! block 488 slidably mounted in the end face or the apron II. This knock-off block 488 may be provided with adjustable abutment plugs 488 with any selected ofwhich a stopelement 480 (see Figure 19) may be'brought into registry. This element 480 maybe adiustablysecured by any suitable means in a sleeve 48! secured to a suitable frame portion of the machine, asis well known, so that when the; carriage traverses to such a point that anyl oi the stops 488 of the block 488 strike the stop element 480, the stop block 488 is moved in-. wardiy and the latch release pin 480 pushed outwardly, retracting the latch pin 42i from its-socket 422 and allowing the handle 401 to drop to disconnect-theclutchelements 208 and 208 as has The other clutch connection produced by the clutch elements land 2" is-in the train ofgearing to the cross tool feed screw 2" as previously described and this may be constructed similarly to produce an automatic knock-on oi the cross feed -slide in either direction as may It will usually for automatic knock-oi! for opposite limits of motion of the cross tool slide, in which case the knock-oil block 410 (Figures 19 and 24a) may be arranged to beoperative to release its lock lever on motion in either direction. It may be so moved by impingement on either one of spaced spasms be found desirable to provide gagement of the clutch elements 2" and'2l1 which are arranged and operated similarly to the clutch elements 288 and 208 shown in Figure 24.

similarly the traversing motion of the turret saddle may be produced by rotation of the feed ,4

shaft l2, there being a similar geared oonnec tion between this shaft l2 and the rack bar 8 tothat described for the traverse of the tool carriage, the speed ratio being controlled by a sim-' ilarly arranged system of sliding gears and rockers, the control handle for the'selector mechanism being shown at 888 in Figure 19. There is, of course, no transverse feed for the turret mechanism so that this 'is omitted from the mechanism within the apron I 8. It will be noted, however, that the speed control for the turret saddle traverse is entirely independent from that of the tool carriage traverse or the tool slide feed.

Similarly I to the carriage traverse control knock-oil, mechanism may be provided for limiting the traverse of-the turret saddle. This has been shown somewhat diagrammatically in Figure 23 in which a latch mechanism similar to that shown in Figure 24 is employed for holding the spring-opened clutch of the traversing feed mechanism in closed position. At 808 in Figure 23 is shown the latch lever with its hand-release handle 808 similar in ail respects to the mechanism shown in Fig. 24. "The latch release pin, as shown in Figure 23, however, may be actuated by a lever 801 fulcrumed at 808 and having' bearing thereon on its 81131888 a push rod 818; This push rod may be actuated by the turning of a rock shaft 8 having a cam face 8l2 on which the end of the rod 8| 8 impinges. The rocking of the shaft 8 may be produced by impingement on a cam face 814 thereon of any of the stop bars 8| 8 which maybe controlled in the well known manner by the movement of the turret the work spindle and also for controlling the speeds of traverse of both .the tool carriage "andthe turret saddle reiativethereto and independently of each other, and that all these speed controls maybe actuated while the machine is in operation and without the necessity of using change gears which would require that the machine be stopped. likewise the cross tool feed may be actuated at an adjustable speed while the tool carriage is either stationary or moving and Y the tool carriage may be traversing at a desired speed with the tool cross feed either in or out of operation. It will also be evident that many changes and modifications might be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this inv vention as defined by the appended claims. 0

' 9 devices to shift the gears into such selective ar- I claim:

' 1. In combination, at least three shafts including a drive and a driven shaft and one or more intermediate shafts, selectively intermeshing gears between said shafts for transmitting motion from said drive shaft to .said driven shaft, and mechanism actuable to shift said gears selectively including means preventing interruption in the geared connections between more than two shafts at any one time when shifting from one to any other selected gear arrangement.

2. In combination, a plurality of shafts, selectively intermeshing gears between said shafts, gear controlling and shifting devices, a gear selector for each device, means forrigidly connecting said selectors together, said selectors having cam faces for selective cooperation with said devices to shift said devices on relative movement therebetween, said cam faces and devices being so related as to produce successive disconnections of said geared connections so that only one adjacent pair of shafts in the driving sequence is disconnected at any one time, and means for effecting said relative movement.

3. In combination, a plurality of shafts, selectively intermeshing, gears between said'shafts, gear controlling and shifting devices, a gear selector for each device, means for rigidly connectis disconnected at any one time, and means actuable to first actuate said selectors to select the desired gear arrangement and then to eflect the relative movement between said selectors and rangement.

4. A gear selecting and changing mechanism comprising in combination, a plurality of shafts, gearing selectively intermeshing between said shafts, means for driving one of said shafts, gear controlling and shifting devices, a selector for each device, and means actuabie to cause said selectors to first select and then to actuate said devices in accordance with such selection, said selectors and devices being so arranged that only one pair ofadjacent shafts in the train is out of geared connection at a time during change from one to any other geared connection.

5. A gear selecting and changing mechanism comprising in combination, a plurality of shafts, gearing selectively intermeshing between said shafts, means for driving one of said shafts, gear controlling and shifting devices, a selector for each device, and means actuabie to cause said selectors to first select and then to actuate said devices in accordance with such selection, said selectors and devices being so-arranged that there is never more than one complete interruption in the geared connections between said shafts at one time during any entire change from one to a different speed setting of said mechanism.

6. In combination, a plurality of shafts, gears on said shai ts, certain of said gears being slidable on their respective shafts for selective intermeshing with gears on other of said shafts, means including a lever for shifting certain of said sliding gears, and stops cooperating with said lever and spaced from the fulcrum thereof for accurately determining the limits of shifted positions.

'I. In combination, a plurality of shafts, gears on said shafts, certain of said gears being slidable on their respective shafts for selective intermeshing with gears on other of said shafts, means including a lever for shifting certain of said sliding gears, certain of said sliding gears prese'nting an annular ribbed portion, a U-shaped member straddling said rib portion, an arm carrying said membenmeans for moving said arm to shift said gears, and means for yieldingly pressing said member toward said rib portion.

8. In combination, a plurality of shafts, gears on said shafts, certain of said gears being slidable on their respective shafts for selective intermeshing with gears on other of said shafts, means including a lever for shifting certain of said sliding gears, certain of said sliding gears presenting ing selectively intermeshing between said shafts,

certain of said gears being slidably mounted on their respective shafts, selectors for said slidable gears, each selector having cam faces arranged circumferentially, a movable member for each selector having spaced arms between which oppositely disposed cam faces of its selector may be placed to bridge said arms and thereby definitely position said member, operative connections between said members and their respective gears, and a device carrying all of said selectors movable in one manner to select the operative cam faces, and in another manner to move'said cam faces into and out of operative relation to their respective members, said selector cam faces being so relativelyarranged that when they are moved into operative relation to their respective members and shift said sliding gears but one disconnection of gearing occurs at any one time during the entire shifting movement.

10. In combination, a plurality of shafts, gears on said shafts, certain of said gears being slidable on said shafts for .selective intermeshing with gears on the other of said shafts, shift rods movable substantially parallel to the sliding motion of said sliding gears, operative connections between said rods and gears, a rock member having a portion operatively engaging each of said rods. each of said rock members having a pair of spaced elements, a selector for each member having cam faces movable from and to a position be-' tween the spaced elements of its respective rock member and when fully between said elements bridging the same and holding the corresponding member against rocking, a rock shaft to which said selectors are secured, and means for rocking said shaft to bring selected pairs of cam faces into angular positions to co-act with said rock members and for moving said rock shaft axially to 

